1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bottom end stop and a slider having a locking mechanism of a slide fastener wherein the locking pawl of the slider is so improved that the locking pawl does not provide any obstacle when an insert pin is inserted into the box of the slide fastener.
2. Prior Art
In a conventional slide fastener chain having a bottom end stop adapted to separate its lower end into two portions, the bottom end stop and a slider having a locking mechanism is known, in which a locking pawl formed as part of a leaf spring of the slider having the locking mechanism and fitted to the fastener chain is located at a biased position where the locking pawl projects at some of the fastener elements, or engaging elements, that are not directly connected to a box pin and an insert pin of the bottom end stop, particularly on the engaging elements at the side of the fastener stringer where the box pin is fitted. With this arrangement, the locking pawl is not directly related to the fitting/removing operation of the insert pin into/out of the box so that the box pin and the insert pin do not require any specific machining process from the viewpoint of its relationship with the locking pawl.
In the conventional bottom end stop and the slider having the locking mechanism as described above, when the insert pin of the bottom end stop fitted to the fastener chain is inserted into the box, the insert pin is exclusively used on the right side if it is designed so, whereas it is exclusively used on the left side if it is designed as such. In other words, a same insert pin cannot be used on both the right side and the left side as viewed from the user. Thus, all slider components, assembling/machining apparatus for producing sliders and slide fasteners comprising such a slider have to be designed either for the right side arrangement or for the left side arrangement. This gives rise to cumbersome problems particularly in terms of production management and inventory control.
Particularly, in the case of a slider having a semi-automatic locking mechanism, the leaf spring of the slider having the locking pawl as part thereof that is produced by bending is thicker than the leaf spring of a slider having an automatic locking mechanism and the locking pawl is directed substantially perpendicularly toward a guide groove for guiding the engaging elements so that, if the locking pawl is located on the side where the insert pin is inserted, it is difficult for the insert pin to kick up the locking pawl and enter the box and hence the insert pin often cannot successfully be inserted into the box. This provides a problem that specifically hinders any attempt to use a same slider for both the right side arrangement and the left side arrangement.
In view of the above identified problems, it is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a bottom end stop of a slide fastener whose insert pin is designed to show a simple configuration adapted for escaping the locking pawl of the leaf spring of the slider having a locking mechanism and for being smoothly inserted into the slider and the box and to be usable for both the right side arrangement and the left side arrangement for the ease of production management and inventory control.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bottom end stop of a slide fastener with which the insert pin can be easily and accurately brought into releasable engagement with the box by specifying a manner in which the insert pin easily escape the locking pawl if the locking pawl of the leaf spring is arranged in a biased position.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bottom end stop of a slide fastener with which the insert pin can be brought into releasable engagement with the box in a specific manner so that it may be stably held in the box by so designing it as to make the insert pin appropriately escape the locking pawl.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an bottom end stop of a slide fastener with which the insert pin can be accurately and quickly inserted into the box at the left side or the right side, whichever appropriate, by specifying the location where the locking pawl of the leaf spring of the slider having a locking mechanism projects.
A further object of the invention is to provide a bottom end stop of a slide fastener with which the insert pin can be inserted into the box easily and accurately and avoid any unintended engagement with the locking pawl during the inserting operation.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a slider having a locking mechanism suited for the bottom end stop of a slide fastener and having a mechanism for the insert pin of the bottom end stop to easily escape the locking pawl of the leaf spring of the slider having the locking mechanism.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a slider having a semi-automatic type locking mechanism that uses a thick leaf spring and most suited for the bottom end stop and having a mechanism for the insert pin of the bottom end stop to easily escape the locking pawl of the leaf spring of the slider having the locking mechanism.